Cock or valve



Nmr. 114, 1939.. F. v. BROWN 2,179,684

CO CK OR. VALVE Filed Aug. 27, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 1,

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COCK OR VALVE Filed Aug. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 55erated by distant control, for the opea'tor senses ca transmitted to the plug by a thrust rod which Parenteel Nev. 1 4, 1939 2,179,684 NITED srli'nasy PATENT---0FF1CE .COCK B VALVE Francis Victor Brown,- London, England, assignor to Aircraftings Limited, Gunnersbury, London, England, a British joint-stock company Application August 27, 937, serial No. 161,329

In Great Britain September '1, 1936 7 Claims. (Cl. 251-97) rli'his invention ycomprises improvements in is suitably enclosed within'abpre of the stem cocks or valves and has for one of its objects to and longitudinally adjustable therein by a flne provide an improvedvalve in which the plug is y screw adjustment in such bore. Thus, with the loosened from its seat prior to turning it to or internal cam arrangement' and the thrustrod from the opening or closing position. and adjustment totally enclosed, it is impossible Improvements in accordance with this invention are particularly applicable to cocks controlling the fuel and/or oil supply. for internal com- 'bustion engines in aircraft.

' ment.

Heretof ore, internally disposed cam devices y for suchthat the camming effect must becontinued duringturning of` the blugand only cease when the plug reaches the closed or open position.v This mode of operation is advantageous for cocks option of a modiiied construction o i cock.

Figure 10 is a.- view similarto Figure 9 vbut to a' larger scale and of a portion only o f the cock.

'Figure llisa perspective view of a modified -formof fixed-cam plate employed in the construction seen in Figures 9 and 10, and l Figure 12 is a perspectiveyiew of the plus of \the cock andlower vend 'of the valve stem co- \Qperating therewitlis y ,Jn the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to the completion of an opening or closing operation by thetransmitted click or snap which occurs when, the camming action ceases. @The thrust exerted onv the stem 'by thecamming` action is for external inuences to derange either the cam action or the fine setting of the screw adjst- 10 Fuel valves on aircraft, particularly in the positively loosening the conical plug of a cock multimotored variety, invariably have to be ophave comprised two rotary parts, the one havingv erated at some considerable distancevfrom the a limited free play relatively to the other and cockpit. This calls for discriminating choice of. the camming eiect being Produced during the operating controls. In order that the operation overtaking of the one'part by the other. lIl'his 15 may be most reliablethe operation should call does not give the advantageous action of the for the minimum of energy to be transmitted. improved arrangement above described wherein The fuel for aircraft engines is usually conthe camming action between a xed part and a tained in several distributed tanksrand the. sup'- 1 rotary partmust continue during the turning of ply from each and the interconnections between the plug in`either direction. Moreover, a thrust the tanks must be readily and certainly controlled. rod has been employed to'operate between an exlEor this reason, there must. be no tendency for ternaily arranged and adjustable cam device and' the valve to stick and to require an effort out of the plug, but in the improved cock all thes'eoper- `all proportion to the work done for its operation. ating parts are enclosed and protected against A- The operation by distant control in these cases oxternalinuences. Y

must be as easy and certain as possible. f In order to enable thefinvention to be readily In cocks of the kind referred to, the plugs are understood, reference is made to the accompany- ,loosened in their seats by the action of ycam de-4 ing drawings' illustrating by way of example, sevvices which operate during a. lost motion vperiod eral improved constructions in accordance th introduced into the rotary movement ofthe cock. the' invention in -which drawings:

The axial movement of the plug need only be a VFigurev 1 isa central vertical longitudinal secvery small amount,- as itis only necessary to tion of acock, suitable for use as a petr0le0ck loosen the plug to the extent of a few thousandths on aircraft, fitted With adjustable cam mechaof an inch.y This is of particular consideration in nism for moving the plug axially from its seat the case of petrol cocks, for any excessive loosenprior to turning'it to or from the opening .or

ing would permit petrol to carry impurities beclosing position.

tween the seating faces and thereby endanger Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1. the closure tightness of the cock. -In order to Figure 3 is a. central vertical transverse section ensure the smallest possible axial movement esto a larger scale. sential to fre'e the seating, the present improve- Figure A4 is a horizontal section on 'the line o ments provide a. simple adjustment, whereby the IV-YIV of Figure 3. f

extent ofthe axial movement effectedby the earns *Figure 5 is a. perspective view of' the shaped can bel readily altered. vend of the valve stem. j

`According to this invention the operating stem Figure 6 aperspective view'of a plate is provided with means for turnably engaging the which is fixed in the body of the valve.

4:, plus with a small degree 0f circular ree player Figure 7 is a perspectiue view of a zo-operative lost motion and with means adapted fOr @acting cam plate which is engaged by the end of the with internally disposed and xed means to pro- 1 ,valve stem, A 1 duce a camming effect.v for vplug loosening prior Figure 8 is a. perspective .view of the top of the to turning from the closed to open position, or valve plug. .1 y f vice. versa. The salients of the cam are suitably Figure-9 is a central vertical longitudinal' sec- Y 8, the conical plug a of the cock which may be made of rustless steel, is seated in a liner c fixed' in the valve casing or body b. 'I'he plug a is open at the bottom and is formefd with aiametricauy.

opposite ports a1 in its skirt or conical wall.v 'I'he top wall of the plug a is formed with two arcuate slots a2 as seen clearly in Figure 8. 'The slotsa3 neednot be disposed symmetrically, that is at diametrically opposite points as shown, but can be mainly'contained in one semi-circular half, this latter disposition being found to facilitate correct assemblage vofthe parts by unskilled laend of a compression spring e which operates to press the plug against its seating. The bottomend of the spring e is seated in a recess in aperture in the bottom of the body b.

'Ihe valve stem or spindle y, inserted downwards through a V'packing gland h. in the upper part of the body, is tted at its lower endwith means -for engaging, with lost motion, in the arcuate slots a2 inthe plug. Thus, the lower end of the. stem g may be formed with ats 7'.

1 as seen clearly in Figure 5, so that the said end may be non-rotatably inserted in the similarly shaped aperture of a cam plate 1c which is seen detached in Figure 7. The cam'plate k may be fixed to the end of thev stem y -by upsetting edges of such end, or the lattenmay be grooved and the cam plate k may be forced into or xed in the groove by suitable means. The cam plate k embossed at two diametrically opposite points with rounded humps k1, Figure '7, and is formed at two points pn its periphery v'with depending lugs or projections k2 adapted for extending down'into the arcuate slots a2 in the plug a with play between the ends of such slots as seen in Figures 3 and 4 in which the actual amount of4 play provided in practice may 1 be said to be exaggerated. Apo-operative xed l recesses in the body to prevent turning of the cam plate l, seen detached in Figure 6, is an annulus embossed with two pairs of recesses l1 corresponding with the humps lcl ofthe movable cam k and formed with peripheral lugs l2. This fixed camplate l may be dropped into the gland recess inqthe body b, the lugs l2 taking linto cam plate l. It may then -be held tightly'on to 'its seating shoulder by screwing into the recess the stufling box or body of the gland h, as will be apparentfrom Figures 1 and 3. Any suitable handle mis provided for turning the stem g.

When the valve is in the closed position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, or when it isin the open position, the humps k1A of the movable cam plate 1c rest in two of the recesses or depressions l1 of the'xed cam platel. To operate the cock from the closed to the open` position, the stem -y is turned counter-clockwise in Figure 4. Therst portion of this turning movement will cause the lugs k2 of ,the movable cam plate k to move idly from one end of the arcuate slots a2 to the other. During this idle movement, the humps k1 of the movable cam Ic react against the depressionsV of'the xed caml and consequentlyK force the plug a axially away from its seating c.

tween the flats 111 of the cam plate 11.

The lugs Ic2 then press against the appropriate ends of the arcuate slots a2 and turn the loosened plug va to the open position, whereupon the ,humps k1 enter the other two depressions l1 of example illustrated, the stem g is bored' with-a central hole into which isinserted freely a thrust rod n, seen best in Figure 3, which drops down upon'the centre of the top of the plug a. Next a ball o is inserted which drops down upon the cupped top end of the thrust rod n. Finally, an adjuster screw p,.the lower end of which is cupped to suit the ball, is screwed down into a screw-threaded upper portion of the bore so as to bear down upon the ballo. It will be observed that the stem g presses upon the plug a through the medium of the thrust rod 1L. Screwing the adjuster p up or down a -little has the effect of reducing or increasing the effective travel. of the thrust rod n when the cam action a cap, nut or plug f screwed into a circular of the stem g is brought into play, thereby reducing or increasing with very ne adjustment,

- the extent to which the plug is forced from its seat by the camming action. The adjuster screw p is locked by a tab Washer (not shown) and by a lock nut q and is protected by a cap f' the vvalve may further inuence the plug on to its` seating. It is convenient to limit the turning of the handle m to 90 by providing stop lugs 1v, Figure 2, in the path of a depending lug m1,

Figure l, of thel handle m. These' stop lugs :z:I

are formed on a sheet metal band y which is clamped around the body by a clamping screw z, Figure 2.

-According to the modied construction illustrated in Figures 9 to 12, only a single cam plate, namely a xed cam plate 110 is used, this plate having arcuate ilat projections 111 on its under surface at diametrically opposite /points as `seen clearly in Figure 11. 'I'hese ats l11 have ramps 112 at their ends for a purpose to be described. The lower endv of the spindle 91 in this construction is formedor tted with lateral projections 911 at diametrically opposite points, as seen clearly in Figure 12, these projections engaging with play in'arcuate notches t cut in an'annular rim al1 on the small end of the plug a1. When the plug a1 is in the open position, or in the closed position as illustrated, the projections g11 of the spindle lie in the spaces bey turning the spindle for opening the cock, the projections g11 lilrst move idly in the notches t but the upper surfaces of the projections g1l immediately encounter the ramps 112 the re- .sultant cammingvactionY causing'th plug a10 to be pressed away from its seating. The projections g11 then come intoengagement with end walls ofthe notches t and turn the loosened plug al to the open position, the projections 911 is reached, the projections move oi the ilats 111 and the spring e is permitted to press the plug tightly against its-seating.v In this modification, the spindle g1o presses the plug away from its moving over the ats 111. yAs the open position' a `ball race ring u and its balls, which may bev caged, against the race a1. This interpositlon of a ball thrust bearing between the spring e and plug al further increases the ease of operation of the valve. l

The modined construction in Figures 9 to 12 may be provided with' a special gland or packing. This' consists of one or a series of rings l oi elastic material, suclh as rubber or rubber composition, such ring or rings being moulded to a conicai shape, and inserted into a conical recess or recesses formed in the stem 91 to be packed. This packing arrangement is more particularly disclosed and claimed in my divisional application Ser. No. 207.144, led May 10, 1938. The spindle al1o iltted with its three rings as described is inserted into its guide b1 from be-' low, the direction of insertion being with the convex 'surfaces of the rings leading. As the protruding peripheral portions 2 oi.' the 'rings enter the cylindrical guide b1 they are pressed back into the grooves, and the peripheral compression causesrdistension of the inner portions of the rings. This form or packing is found to give great duid tightness without stiffness, and it is possible to move the spindle g1 either rotatably or axially with ease.

ll claim:

1. A rotary cone plug valve comprising a valve casing having a conical plug recess, a conical plug in said recess, an axially slidable stem rotatably engaging the plug with a degree of circular lost motion, and two co-operative cam devices disposed internally of the valve casing, one of said devices being xed within said casing and the other rotatable with and'by said stem, the said cam devices being operative for loosening said plug from its seat and the action being initiated during initial lost motion between said stem and plug and continued during turning of said plug from the closed towards the open position or vice versa.

2. A rotary cone plug vvalve comprising a valve casing having a conical plugkrecess, a conical plug in said recess, an axially slidable stem rotatably engagingk the plug with a degree of circular lost motion, and two co-operative cam devices disposed internally of the valve casing. one oi said devices being xed within said casing and the other rotatable with and by said stem, the said cam devices being operative for loosening said plug from its seat and the cammingV action being initiated during initial lost motion between said stem and plug, continued during turning of said plug and ceasing when the plug reaches the open or closed position.

3. A rotary cone plug valve comprising a valve casing having a conical plug recess, a conical plug in said recess, an axially slidablestem rotatably engaging the plug with a degree of circular lost motion, two co-operative cam devices disposed internally of the valve casing, one of said devices being ilxed within said casing and the other rotatable with andby said stem. the

said cam devices being operative for loosening said plug from its seat and the camming action being initiated during initial lost motion between said stem and'plug and continued during turning of said plug from the closed towards the open position or vice versa, and a thrust rod operative axially between said stem and plug.

4. A rotary cone plug valve comprising a valve casing having a conical plug recess, a conical plug in said recess, .an axially slidable stem rotatably engaging the plug with a degree of circular lost motion, two co-operative cam devices disposed internally of the `valve casing, one of said devices being xed within said casing and the other rotatable with and by said stem, the said cam devices being operative for loosening said plug from its seat and the cammingaction being initiated during initial lost motion between said stem and plug and continued during turning of said plug lfrom the closed towards the open position or vice. versa, a thrust rod inserted within a bore of said. `stein and operative axially between said stem and plug and a screw adiustment withinvsaid bore and operative longi- A tudinally upon said thrust rod.

5. A rotary cone plug valve comprising an Vaxially slidable stem rotatably engaging the plug with a degree of circular lost motion, two co-4 operative cam devices disposed internally of the plug casing one of said devices being fixed withinl 30 said casing and the other rotatable with and by said stem, the said cam devices being operative for loosening said plug from its seat. and the camming action being initiated during initial lost motion between said stem and plug and continued during turningV of said plug from the closed towards the open position or vice versa, a thrust rod insertedwithin a bore of said stem and operative axially between said ystem and plug, a screw adjustment within said bore and operative longitudinally upon said thrust rod and a lock nut and cap nut for locking said screw adjustment and protecting it against casual or accidental operation.

6. Rotary plug valve comprising a casing having a conical seat, a conical plug applied to said seat in said casing and formed with an arcuate slot, an operatingk stem for said plug, a cam-. plate disposed internally of said casing, said cam-plate being rotatable with said valve stem and having a projection engaged with said arcuate slot and said projection and slot allowing a degree of circular lost motion vbetween said stem and plug, and a non-rotatable cam plate disposed in said casing in co-operative relation with the mst-mentioned cam plate for loosen- `ing said plug from its seat during said lost motion. y l

'1.v Rotary plug valvefcomprising a casing, a conical plug applied to a co-operative seat in said casing andV formed with a notch,4 an operating stern axially slidable in said lcasing and having one endthereof extending adjacent to said plug, a projection on said end and engaged with said notch, said projection andv notch allowing a degree of circular lost motion between said stem and plug, and a non-rotatable cam plate disposed in said casing in co-operative relation with said projection for loosening said Aplug from its seat during said lost motion.

FRANCIS VICTOR BROWN.

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